Corpus-based versus corpus-driven linguistics

The distinction between corpus-based and corpus-driven language study was
introduced by Tognini-Bonelli (2001).
Corpus-based studies typically use corpus data in order to explore a theory or hypothesis,
aiming to validate it, refute it or refine it.
The definition of corpus linguistics as a method underpins this approach.

Corpus-driven linguistics rejects the characterisation of corpus linguistics as a
method and claims instead that the corpus itself should be the sole source of
our hypotheses about language. It is thus claimed that the corpus itself
embodies a theory of language (Tognini-Bonelli 2001: 84-5).